'08 Lasers Raised the Bar

January 6th, 2009

Whether it’s unbeaten and scoreless streaks, milestone wins, titles, or post-season honors the 2008 version of the Nazareth Lasers soccer team established a new standard.

Finishing with a record of fifteen wins, four losses, and four ties the Lasers etched their marked in the annals of Nazareth Academy sports history.

The season opened on September 3^rd with a 4-2 loss at the hands of perennial champion, Aquinas.

Even from this modest beginning came the first of many accomplishments for the Lasers.

With the win the Li’l Irish improved to 4-0, but their three previous wins (Pittsford-Mendon, Orchard Park VI, Christian Brothers III) were by shutouts.  The Blue and Gold were the first to put a ball into the net on AQ.

Three days later Naz grabbed win number one when Harley ‘Wood’ Cleary’s goal in the second overtime clinched a 2-1 victory over Orchard Park.

It was the first of 15 wins.

Lauren Kelly tallied her first career goal as the Lasers topped North Star 7-0 on September 16^th.   

On September 27^th the Lasers travelled to Buffalo for a match with Cardinal O’Hara.  Lauren Clark notched her first career goal as Naz grabbed a six nil victory.  It was the first of 13 games in an unbeaten streak that lasted through the entire month of October and established a school record.

Within that record-setting streak the Blue and Gold captured a pair of milestones.

Nazareth made its annual trek to western Pennsylvania for the Buzz Miller Memorial Tournament at Hampton High.  The showcase brings together some of the best programs of the Quaker State.  In three previous trips the Nazareth Lasers had come home with morsels of moral victories accumulating a record of 0-5-1 by a combined score of 20-4.

This time Naz came home undefeated and un-scored upon with a scoreless tie versus Shaler High and one nil victory over Quaker Valley.

The shutout against Quaker Valley was the last of a record-setting seven consecutive scoreless matches for the Naz defense.  During the streak which lasted for over 590 minutes of game time, Naz net-minder, senior tri-captain, Amanda Taylor made 19 saves.

It was during this time that the defensive corps of Melissa Ercoli, Sara Hart-Predmore, Brianna Pettinaro, and sisters, Haley and Janine Swanson, bonded together as a unit.  The confidence amongst the group grew with each game as they deftly moved the ball from side to side knowing each other’s movements without needing eye contact on many occasions. 

While the scoreless streak came to an end on October 14^th nonetheless the game marked yet another milestone for the Blue and Gold.  It was that day on the field at Blossom Road that Naz would play a level match with arch-rival Our Lady of Mercy – marking the first time a Nazareth squad earned sectional points in a game with the Monarchs. 

Nazareth carried its unbeaten streak to Hallow’s Eve where the Lasers earned a share of the Section V Class CC Championship with the undefeated and four-time champion, Bloomfield Bombers.  Janine Swanson and Hamlin-Thomas tallied in regulation.

After the teams battled through the scoreless overtime periods, the game would be decided by penalty kicks. Biannca Bullard, and tri-captains Janine Swanson, and Cece Gotham converted before Maggie Bates nailed the clincher that allowed Naz to advance to its first ever state qualifier.

The accomplishments on the field earned Naz more recognition off the pitch.  Nazareth Lasers earned four first-team All-Private-Parochial selections for the first time in program history with Taylor, Gotham, Dzindzi Wade, and Janine Swanson grabbing the honors.  Wade also earned second team All-Greater Rochester.

Seven Lasers – Bullard, Cleary, Emily Kelly, Haley Swanson, and Savannah Tucker earned second team honors for a league that included sectional champions in Naz, Mercy, and AQ.

Amidst all the winning the Lasers set aside time to give to others.  In an event organized by senior, Krystal Stack, Naz volunteered at the Special Olympics Upstate Fall Class Regional Competition held on the grounds of Total Sports Experience in Gates.

Indeed the 2008 Lasers raised the bar to new heights.  It is a standard that Nazareth Academy soccer will be compared to for years to come.

Paul Gotham
Pickin' Splinters